Can You Get a Sunburn Through Glass Windows

A patient asked me, is it true that you can’t get a burn through window glass, and I’m happy to tell you that the answer is yes. Window glass stops the B rays, that’s called ultraviolet B rays, and those are the rays that cause sunburn. Window glass doesn’t stop the UVA rays, those are the rays that cause premature aging of the skin and also skin cancer but, certainly, in your car or in your living room next to a sunny window, you’re not going to get a sunburn. Just keep in mind that if you’re taking a medication, that says don’t take in sunlight, because that medication is apt to cause an allergic reaction from the sun, then that allergic reaction can occur through sunglass, but you won’t get a regular sunburn through your window glass.

When you're driving in a car and the sun streams through the glass of a closed window, it certainly can feel hot, but can it actually cause a sunburn? Or what about when you're sitting at home next to a window and the sun is beating down? Dr. Schultz will get to the bottom of whether or not you can get sunburned through glass windows.